Promises
by amberpire
Summary: Men get married ... They don't look at other men the way Miguel looked at Tulio. They don't think about other men the way Miguel thought about Tulio. They don't have feelings for other men like Miguel did for Tulio. ;Miguel/Tulio;
1. Chapter 1

"Tulio?"

Miguel peered out from the threshold of his door at the soaked, dark-haired male standing outside. He was slumped against a post supporting the porch, one hand on his hip while the other rested on his head. "Hola, amigo," the man softly, beaten, blue eyes slowly beginning to fall to the ground between them.

"What are you doing out here?" Miguel was surprised he could manage speech. When was the last time he had seen his friend? Five years? Six? The blonde finally pulled his door open and waved one arm out, the other reaching for his lost friend. He wrapped it around the cold, shivering man's shoulders and urged the man inside. "It's raining, you're soaked, for Christ's sake Tulio, sit." Miguel pushed the man toward a chair before turning in search of dry clothes.

"Since when did you become so motherly?" Tulio sank into the chair with the same dark, lost expression, but at least there was a hint of humor in his voice. Miguel glanced back, shuffling through one of his drawers.

Miguel doesn't say anything, simply frowns as he turns back toward the other man with a pair of pants and a shirt. His mind was a positive whirlwind at the moment. Why would Tulio choose to visit now, in the middle of the night? In the middle of a storm, for that matter? Where was Chel? He strolls toward his friend, perching on a chair beside Tulio. The tiny cabin Miguel called home was but a single room with a flickering, warm fireplace, a few scattered chairs, and a single bed.

"Here," Miguel whispers, handing the bundle of clothes to the still dripping man beside him. Tulio takes them slowly, running his thumbs over the creases in the fabric. He makes no move to undress as much as Miguel wants him too, his green eyes focused intently on his former ... still? best friend. "Tulio," Miguel tries again, turning so he is facing the man. "What are you doing? Where's Chel?"

The short utterance of her name makes Tulio jerk so badly he nearly falls out of the chair. His fingers dig into the bundle of clothes and clutch them to his chest. At first, Miguel thinks it is out of sadness - had something happened to Chel? Miguel remembered, just before they had parted ways in Spain, Chel had been sick. Her immune system wasn't prepared for the many illnesses that resided in Europe. That was when the three of them had begun to lose contact. Miguel had never know the outcome.

But as Miguel continued to watch his friend, shifting his eyes to Tulio's face, he didn't see sadness or remorse - he saw anger. Miguel instinctively reaches out, placing a hand on the other man's back as he withered before him.

"That - that harlot," Tulio growled, abruptly standing and throwing the dry clothes on the floor. He stalked the short length of the room to stand in front of the fire place, hands curled into fists at his sides. Miguel was more surprised by this then Tulio showing up - Tulio wasn't typically angry. And even when he was, he almost never attacked someone he loved. He still did love Chel, didn't he?

"Did she ... what ... what happened?"

"She cheated. She cheated, and she left me, Miguel." Tulio set his jaw with an audible click before whirling around toward his former partner, blue eyes uncharacteristically angry. Miguel watched in a mixture of fear and awe. "And that's not even what I'm so mad about, really. I don't care. I haven't cared about her in so long. It's that she convinced me that I didn't - that I had to stay away from you. My best friend." Tulio looked away, eyes shadowed in shame. "I thought she was all for the adventure, you know? And she was, for a little bit. And then she wanted to be a 'convential Spanish wife' and she wanted me to get a job and, and, she always said what a terrible friend you were and that you were going nowhere and, oh, Jesus." Tulio rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes. Miguel dropped his jaw before standing, watching as Tulio's shoulders began to tremble and shake.

"Tulio, don't cry." If Tulio cried, so would Miguel. The blonde stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his former partner. Tulio was wet and cold but Miguel didn't care, he simply tugged him to his chest and gasped as Tulio buried his face in the other man's neck.

"I'm so sorry, Miguel. I shouldn't, all this time has gone by and not a word and I let her think that you were bad for me. She's wrong. She's so wrong. She was the bad, she was the one ..." Tulio was crying now, sobbing, and Miguel didn't know what to do but close his eyes and stroke the black hair of his partner and whisper reassurances in his ear.

"Tulio, please." Miguel was trying to stifle the feelings bubbling in his stomach - finally, finally Tulio was recognizing him as something more than what they had always been. Best friends. Acquaintances. Maybe now ... maybe they could finally be ...

Miguel froze. No, it would never happen. Tulio would never look at him that way. It was obvious - it was proven that Tulio loved women. Look at Chel. She was a gorgeous woman, beautiful, and Tulio had more than once shared his many experiences with her. Miguel tightened his grip on the still sobbing Tulio. Miguel would never have what he wanted with Tulio. It wasn't going to happen.

Miguel shook his head and pulled away from Tulio, trying to find the sobbing man's eyes. "Look at me, Tulio. You can stay here, okay? For as long as you want. We could be partner's again, eh?" Miguel tried to smile, and even though it was a poor attempt, Tulio almost returned the gesture. Miguel squeezed his shoulders before releasing him, bending over to pick up the previously discarded clothing. "Put these on. Sit by the fire. I'll make you something to eat, okay?"

Miguel moved away to rummage through the cupboards of food. Miguel caught and killed almost all of his own food nowadays, something he had picked up from the people of El Dorado. He had learned lessons there he would never forget and had vowed that after leaving, he wouldn't stop learning. That he wouldn't stop going on adventures. Miguel only lived in the cabin a few months out of the year. Most of his time was spent stowing away on ships to see new places.

When he turned around to look back at Tulio, a slab of bread and cheese in one hand and a cup of rum in the other, Tulio was just pulling up his trousers. Miguel blushed madly. He had seen Tulio completely naked a dozen times before, and still, Miguel couldn't help but stare. Tulio was truly sculptured like a god, no pun intended. Even after five or six years a part, he still looked almost exactly the same. He still adorned the same muscles and lean physique and black hair that was pulled from his face in a ponytail. At least Chel had not forced him to get rid of that. Miguel thought it was adorable.

He quickly tore his eyes away and cleared his throat as if that would rid himself of the terribly embarrassing thoughts, crossing the room with his head pointedly ducked. He perched on the bed, the closest furniture to the fire and kept his eyes diverted as Tulio yanked a shirt over his head, falling into the bed beside him. He took the offered food with a smile, sniffing as an elbow arched up to wipe under his nose.

"That was embarrassing," Tulio mumbled as he took a bite of the bread. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's good to see you again, Tulio." Miguel smiled and it was sincere this time. It was real. "Really. I'm glad you're here."

"I hope I'm not bothering you."

"You're not, I promise. I've missed you more than I'd care to admit." He blushed again, looking away. He jumped when a hand curled over his knee, nearly spilling the rum he still had clasped in his hands.

"Me too, amigo." Tulio caught Miguel's eyes and smiled, and even though his eyes were still dark and heavy and sad, Miguel could see a spark of hope in them. Tulio wasn't giving up. He was moving on.

Miguel touched Tulio's hand and they both looked down at the contact between them. Miguel swallowed hard, turning to set the cup of rum on the table beside the bed. When he turned back, Tulio was about to pull his hand away, cheeks flushed a bright pink. Miguel snatched the hand before it could move very far, tugging it back.

"Never leave me again," Miguel whispered so softly it was barely audible and when the silence stretched he thought he had made it too personal, too romantic, and he was mentally cursing himself until Tulio curled his fingers tightly around the blonde male's. Miguel glanced up to see a look in Tulio's eyes he had never seen before - as if he had just realized something he should have known for a long time.

Miguel's heart fluttered. This was what poetry was about.

"I won't," Tulio promised, lips curling upwards into the smile Miguel had fallen in love with years ago.

* * *

I do not own The Road To El Dorado.

Should I make this a multi-chaptered fic? I can't decide.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. **Please leave reviews!**


	2. Chapter 2

Tulio looked most at peace when he was sleeping.

Miguel knew this from experience. When they were younger and partners in crime, conmen, they often slept together on grass fields if they had to, and as it was cheaper to rent a room with one bed versus two, they had on more than one occasion climbed between the sheets and put their backs to each other, only to kick themselves off the mattress. Miguel smiled at the memories. He remembered rolling over to see Tulio in a complete and utter state of calm. It always made Miguel wonder what he was dreaming about.

The blonde man had opted to sleep on the floor with a couple of blankets, which Tulio nearly had a hissy fit about. It had made the two bicker much like they had before Chel, before El Dorado. Miguel had won, as usual, because Tulio just could not resist the puppy eyes. Even after five years, the raven-haired man still crumpled under it.

Miguel had slept restlessly, but not because the floor was uncomfortable. He had endured much worse conditions. It was knowing that Tulio was right above him. It was the thoughts and memories racing through his mind. It was thinking of everything the two had gone through and how Chel had ruined everything now, maybe there was a chance to fix it.

Miguel was perched on a nearby chair, watching his still sleeping friend. The back window cast a ray of soft orange on Tulio's face, highlighting the black locks. Miguel resisted the urge to twirl a finger about them. It was still early and Miguel wanted to let him sleep. Besides, when in rest, the stress that had been in his face the night before were all but vanished. Tulio looked peaceful.

Miguel sighed heavy, tearing his eyes away to thread a hand into his still long, shaggy gold hair. He had always known it was wrong to ... to love another man. That was against everything society had laid out for people. Men get married. Men have children. Men take care of their families. They don't look at other men the way Miguel looked at Tulio. They don't think about other men the way Miguel thought about Tulio. They don't have feelings for other men like Miguel did for Tulio.

He wasn't sure when it started. Miguel couldn't remember having more than brotherly feelings for the other man until he had witnessed Tulio and Chel kissing. When Tulio had said, "Forget Miguel," and melted into the woman's arms and gazed upon her form with such longing it made Miguel's heart twist.

They had always avoided women before. There wasn't enough time to fall in love when there was a world to explore and adventures to have. They had always valued money above women. Always. And neither of them had seemed to mind too much. Miguel thought he was incapable of romantic feelings and he was personally okay with that. He had the life of a conman. He had Tulio.

He didn't realize until he watched his best friend and Chel fall into each other how much Tulio really did mean. It wasn't just anger and jealousy that curled in his gut at the sight - it was sorrow. He wanted to be in Chel's place. He wanted Tulio to look at him with the same wanting.

Miguel made himself sick. He was a monster. An atrocity. Disgusting. Vile.

He didn't care.

After the trio had parted ways and lost contact, Miguel was just fine with dreaming of Tulio, of imaging the life they had had together and the life Miguel wanted to have. Life was simpler that way. The blonde haired man had even come to prefer loneliness over still seeing Tulio, because seeing him with Chel nearly killed him every time. Maybe that was why they had drifted. Maybe it wasn't entirely Chel's fault. Miguel didn't want to see the man he was in love with buried in the bosom of some foreign woman. It hurt him in ways he didn't know were possible.

Miguel sighed again. All this thinking was making him upset. He stood, moving to stand in front of the bed beside his partner, pulling the blanket over his shoulders. Miguel tried not to look at Tulio's face - the peace there would suck him in and beg him to observe it.

"Hey."

Miguel blinked in surprise at the croak of a voice, blinking and abruptly pulling away. Tulio smiled tired, the peace gone for now and replaced with the lines and creases of fatigue. The black-haired man sat up slowly, a yawn ripping from his throat.

Miguel offered a weak smile, nodding. "Good morning." He lifted a hand to rub awkwardly at his neck. "I'm, uhm, I'm going to go hunting." Which was stupid, because he had plenty of kill saved up but he couldn't stand here anymore. He didn't know what to say, what to do. It was weird, because before all of this, everything had been natural and easy and now it was suddenly like they were strangers on the street that had accidentally bumped shoulders.

"You're acting like you're afraid of me." Tulio smirked and that helped a little. Miguel felt the muscles in his shoulders fall.

"It's been a long time."

"Too long." Tulio looks away, toward the dead fire. "I meant it last night. I won't be leaving you again."

"What about ... what about women?" Miguel sat uneasy at the foot of the bed. "Don't you want to try again? You know a woman would die to have you as a husband."

Tulio lifted his upper lip in a sneer before shaking his head sharply. "I'm done. Done with all of that."

Miguel looked down to his hands.

"What about you, Miggy?" Tulio nudged the other man with his foot and Miguel looked up, surprised at the resurfacing of his nickname.

"Oh, God, you didn't forget how much that bothers me, did you?" Miguel tried to look upset about it, but couldn't hide the grin snaking across his features.

"Absolutely not. So, Miggy, what about you, then? Any women?"

Miguel laughed and shook his head. "Nope. Tutu."

"Fuck you."

"I'm glad you're back, amigo."


	3. Chapter 3

The first week passed without incident. It was as if the two had never left each other. They were laughing and bickering, horsing around in the woods surrounding Miguel's cabin, shooting birds and fishing. Miguel was happy again. He didn't feel so lonely anymore. He was even coming to terms with not being with Tulio the way he had wanted for so long.

It was hard, sometimes, especially when the two were just about to fall asleep. Tulio had had enough of Miguel sleeping on the floor alone, so he removed the mattress from the bed and placed it beside the fireplace. Placing it horizontally, there was enough room for both of them. For their legs, they had begun filling old shirts of Miguel's with the feathers from the birds, using it as an impromptu lower part of the mattress. It was hardest then to not gaze up at the taller, darker male longingly - Tulio was just so perfect, and he would turn and meet Miguel's gaze with a lazy, knowing grin before beckoning Miguel into his chest for 'warmth', as he claimed.

Miguel never complained.

Tulio didn't seem to miss Chel - at least, he never mentioned it. Sometimes he would catch Tulio staring into the fire or at his plate of food with this puzzled look, dark brows crumpled over his forehead in deep thought. Miguel would often lean over and try to catch his attention, to lift him from that dark mood, and Tulio would look at him and break into a smile, torn away from whatever thoughts he had been having.

The two were out one night when the wind was calm and the dark sky was deep and they simply stood there in silence, appreciating the coming of spring. The last of the snow was gone and it was just the two of them standing side by side, heads tilted back to examine the vast sprinkles of stars.

"I missed this," Tulio said, the words leaving his breath with a twist of fog. "Really. This is how it should have always been."

Miguel smiled and nodded, folding his arms. "You got that, amigo." He dared a glance, green eyes sliding to his right to watch as the other man shifted his weight to one hip, a faint smile on his thin lips. Miguel rubbed his neck uncomfortably, turning his gaze instead to the ground below them. He rocked on his heels before lifting his eyes again, keeping them carefully away from Tulio. "Tu?"

"Si?"

"Do you ... do you miss Chel?" He turned his head then to watch the full impact of the question, having no idea how exactly Tulio would take it. To Miguel's surprise, Tulio simply shook his head and chuckled, turning to face his friend with his hands on his hips.

"I'm better without her. I never needed her." The black-haired man purses his lips together in a flat line before raising his shoulders and letting them drop in a shrug, looking away. "Yeah, it hurts, sometimes. I love - loved, her." He glanced to his left hand and idly began twisting the gold band that he still wore, slowly removing it from his finger. He raised the small, circular piece of jewelry and held it up to the swollen moon above them. "I gave up so many things, Miguel. Adventure, life, you." He curled his hand into a fist around the ring before abruptly turning and hurling it into the surrounding trees. They stood in silence, Miguel fascinated with the way Tulio was struggling to hold his anger. The taller male's shoulders were shaking, knuckles popping in frustration.

"Tulio." Miguel reached out, placing a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder, forcing him to turn. Tulio's eyes were dark, staring hard at the ground. Miguel faltered, surprised by this expression, lifting a shaking hand to force Tulio's chin up and meet his gaze. "It's okay, she's gone now."

"But I'll never get those five years back." Tulio lifted his hand, placing it over Miguel's cheek. Miguel barely stifled a gasp by firmly closing his mouth. Tulio, with the dark sky above him and the stars framing his face, was Miguel's entire universe.

"You have the rest of your life to make them up," Miguel managed, though his words were soft and weak, hardly carried on the breath of a whisper. "If you want."

Tulio smiled, his thumb carressing over Miguel's cheek, his warm hand sliding over the shorter male's face to hook behind his neck. Tulio pulled him forward into a tight embrace, his arms circling around Miguel and holding him in place. Miguel's heart pounded heavily in his ears and breathing became insignificant, everything else in the world a million miles away from this.

"I love you." Miguel spoke without thinking, dismissed it as a thought before he felt Tulio stiffen about him. Miguel's eyes flew open, his hands flying up to push Tulio away. He spun in embarrassment, covering his face. "Oh, God, I'm sorry, I didn't - that wasn't what it sounded like, Tulio, I just -"

"Oi." Tulio spoke softly, but the interjection was enough to make Miguel clamp his mouth shut. Miguel turned slowly, his mind clouded with panic. What had he been thinking, saying that out loud? Tulio would leave for sure now, too freaked out to probably even _look _at him the same ...

Miguel blinked at the dark-haired man, who stood there beaming and grinning under the moon with his arms crossed, eyebrows raised. "What are you so embarrassed about?"

Miguel furrowed his brow. "Well - I, uhm, I -"

"I love you too." Tulio tilted his head, looking confused. Miguel blinked again, one hand absently raising to his chest to make sure his heart had not tore its way through his chest cavity. "Have we never said that before?" Tulio continued, sweeping his hair from his face. "That's odd."

"Oh." Miguel coughed, straightening his back and brushing imaginary dust from his shirt. "Well, I was just, uhm, caught up in the emotion I suppose." He coughed again, green eyes landing everywhere but the friend before him.

Tulio's smile fell away as he studied Miguel, his expression becoming even more clouded. "Mig ... you didn't mean like ... like -"

"No! No, of course not, I'm not, you're interested in, you know, women, and I'm interested in women - yes, women, I very much like women." He nodded and spun on his heel. "We should go to bed, amigo, it's getting late -"

Tulio's hand shot out and grabbed his elbow, Miguel's face brightening in alarm. He carefully met the other's eyes, chewing nervously on his lip. Tulio's face was a mixture between confusion and clarity, a very confliction combination. "Miguel, you _did_ mean it that way, didn't you?"

Miguel let his eyes drop, tugging uselessly on his elbow. The sounds around them became muted till it was just them and the moon, watching over them as if in anticipation. Miguel started to speak, though all that came out of his throat was a choked gasp. Giving up on speech, the blonde simply nodded.

This was it. It was over. Their friendship had taken a turn for the worst and once they had began to fix it he had screwed it up. Miguel could already feel his heart tearing in two from just imagining watching Tulio stomping away from him in disgust, wearing the clothes he had come crying in. Miguel gnawed on his lip again, eyes squeezing shut for the pain to come, to hear Tulio say something that he would never forget and leave him. Again.

Fingers touched his cheek. Miguel blinked his eyes open, still staring at the ground, wondering if Tulio would resort to hitting him, too. Miguel thought he probably deserved it for being what he was - true vile, disgusting, a mutant of mankind ...

But he was not struck. He was not shoved. He was not humiliated, he was not screamed at, he was not deserted. Tulio simply ducked down until his blue eyes with impossible depths found Miguel's, and then he was leaning up. Miguel just barely managed to suck in a breath before cold lips met his own, his eyes squeezing shut as if to savor the moment in pure darkness. His body flooded with alien sensations, pulsing down to his very toes and back again. Tulio held the blonde man's cheek, pressing his lips with increasing force as the seconds buzzed past the two of them. Miguel thought nothing. It was only Tulio. It was only ever Tulio. No Chel, no five years of not seeing him, no loneliness.

Tulio.

When they both reluctantly pulled away, they were panting hard, holding the other with tight fingers as if the pair would buckle to the ground if they didn't. Miguel's vision was spinning, knees shaking, brain bouncing frantically in his skull.

"I reckon you don't like women, Miguel." Tulio's voice abruptly burst through Miguel's fog of confusion, jerking up his eyes to meet the taller male. Tulio was smirking, his chest heaving.

Miguel simply stared, eyes never leaving Tulio's as he searched frantically for words. "I reckon ... I don't like anyone much, other than you, amigo."

"This is weird."

"Si."

Tulio chuckled, releasing Miguel to stand up straight and run a hand through his long, shaggy black hair. "Abominations."

Miguel frowned and looked away, tracing his lips with one finger. "Si."

Tulio shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets and looking up at the sky again. "I guess we were doomed to go to Hell anyway. We are conmen, aren't we?" His elbow arched out and nudged the other man's, causing Miguel to lift his eyes and grin broadly at his partner.

"All of the fun people go to Hell," Miguel mused, still grinning as he took a step back, quirking a suggestive brow as Tulio turned to watch him.

"Might as well make it official, right? How far up is sodomy on the list of 'worst sins'?" Tulio blushed despite the confidence in his words. Miguel was surprised he was still standing.

"Pretty high, I imagine," he whispered, taking another step back as Tulio followed. His heart was pumping so hard, the muscles felt like they might tear any second.

"Oi." Tulio took another step forward, studying Miguel silently before rubbing his hands in front of him. "How long - ?"

"A long time," Miguel interjected, feeling the door against his back. "A really long time."

Tulio frowned. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"You can imagine why I wouldn't want to tell you." Miguel shrugged as if it didn't matter - in a way, it didn't. Tulio was here now. "You never ...?"

Tulio turned slowly, glancing at the forest where he had hurled his ring. "I thought about it, sometimes." He kicked his foot in the grass. "But, you know, Chel ..."

"Chel's a complete and total moron who will realize her mistake far too late," Miguel stated firmly, meeting Tulio's surprised eyes with boldness.

"I'm just as stupid as she is." Tulio gave an apologetic smile before moving forward again.

"I think I'll forgive you," Miguel chuckled, opening the door from behind him and stepping back into the warm little room.

"Forgive me," Tulio crooked a smile, reaching out for Miguel's hip as he kicked the door shut, both of the men shuddering with nerves before the crackling fire. "Miggy."

"Tutu."

"Fuck you."

"Por favor."


End file.
